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Return to Life Cycle Studies of Lower Rio Grande Valley Butterflies
After observing a Brown Longtail - Urbanus procne ovipositing
on Bermuda Grass - Cynodon dactylon on 5/13/07, I collected the blade of grass with the egg on it. I photographed
this study for the 40 days it took for the butterfly to emerge on 6/22/07.
This Life Cycle Study was published in "News of the Lepidopterists' Society",
Vol. 49, No. 4, Winter 2007, and this was the first time that photos of Brown Longtail - Urbanus procne caterpillars
had ever been published.
All photos on this site are by Jan Dauphin and are copyright protected
and may not be used or published elsewhere without the permission of Jan Dauphin
Bermuda Grass - Cynodon dactylon. This Brown Longtail
host plant is abundant throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Day-1 (5/13/2007), a Brown Longtail - Urbanus procne was
seen ovitpositing an egg on Bermuda Grass - Cynodon dactylon, and the egg was collected for rearing.
Day-3 (5/16/2007) from when the egg was laid, and the caterpillar is
visible inside the egg.
Day-4 (5/17/2007) from when the egg was laid, the caterpillar begins
chewing its way out of the egg case (very rapid caterpillar development).
Day-5 (5/18/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day -1 from eclosing.
The caterpillar is 3.5mm long.
Day-6 (5/19/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-2 from eclosing. The
caterpillar is 5.5mm long.
Day-8 (5/21/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-4 from eclosing. The
caterpillar stays at 5.5mm long.
Day-14 (5/27/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-10 from eclosing.
The caterpillar has shown no growth in the last 6 days.
Day-16 (5/29/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-12 from eclosing. The
caterpillar is 6mm long.
Day-18 (5/31/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day -14 from eclosing.
The caterpillar begins to make a nest.
Day-18 (5/31/07) from when the egg was laid, Day-14 from eclosing. Nest
building is almost complete.
Day-18 (5/31/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-14 from eclosing. Nest
building is complete; the entire process took <2mins.
Day-21 (6/3/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-17 from eclosing. The
caterpillar is ~23mm long.
Day-21 (6/3/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-17 from eclosing.
The caterpillar is ~23mm long.
Day-24 (6/6/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-20 from eclosing. The
caterpillar is ~32mm long.
Day-30 (6/12/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day 26 from eclosing. The pupa
was formed this day.
Day-37 (6/19/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-33 from eclosing.
The pupa is 7 days from formation.
Day-37 (6/19/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-33 from eclosing.
The pupa is 7 days from formation.
Day-39 (6/21/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-35 from eclosing.
The pupa is 9 days from formation and just prior to emergence.
Day-40 (6/22/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-36 from eclosing,
and the Brown Longtail emerged.
Day-40 (6/22/2007) from when the egg was laid, Day-36 from eclosing,
and the Brown Longtail - Urbanus procne was released ~45mins after emerging.
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